Break My Heart, Sae My Life
by Thessian Shadow
Summary: Losing someone is hard. Losing someone you feel a strange yet anguished connection to is harder. What if he hasn't? Jake gets to feel the strain of an inescapable relationship, while battling his guilt along with his demons. Rated T but may change later.
1. I Need Room To Breathe

**Break My Heart, Save My Life  
><strong>_Chapter One: Room To Breathe_

**Summary:** Losing someone is hard. Losing someone you feel a strange yet anguished connection to is harder. What if he hasn't? Jake gets to feel the strain of an inescapable relationship, while battling his guilt along with his demons. (Sorry guys, no Jake/Neytiri ending here)

**Note:** Na'vi will be used in this fic. I will post the translations at the end of the chapters. If needed, look at the bottom for the translation during the story.

**Characters:** Jake S., Grace A., Norm S., Trudy C., Miles Q., Tsu'tey, Neytiri, Mo'at

**Pairings:** Jake/Grace, Norm/Trudy

**A/N:** This one is a first for me. I just watched the movie a few nights ago, and have come up with this. Been working it over in my head, and don't know how it will work out. Please be nice, though I do accept criticism. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing… Credits go to James Cameron and all respective actors/actresses who brought the dream of Pandora to life. Song credits go to Reba McEntire

* * *

><p>Removing his harness, Jake pulled himself off of his link bed. Something had distracted him all day while he was training with Neytiri and Tsu'tey. Looking around, he saw that one of the link units was still active. Checking the ID of the Avatar, he saw that it was Grace. Norm sat up and finally stood up from his link bed, stretching. "Hey Jake, you seen Grace?"<p>

"No. She's still…" He thought about it. He hadn't seen Grace's avatar all day. She had left the communal area, needing to deal with what had happened to Neytiri's sister. It hadn't given her peace since it happened, and every day around the Na'vi had proven to distance her further. "She's still in there. Had you seen her avatar?"

"No. That's what I was just about to ask you."

"I'm goin' back in there."

"Jake, it's close to nightfall."

"I know." He threw himself back onto the bed, closing the lid back down.

* * *

><p>Opening his eyes as his avatar, Jake looked around the tree. Most of the Na'vi were asleep or otherwise occupied. He headed away, diving from his hammock, and started searching. Tsu'tey saw him moving about and decided to indulge his curiosity.<p>

"Where are you going, Jake'Sully? You should not wander off into the night. Perhaps you have forgotten what happened the last time?"

"No. I haven't forgotten. I don't care."

"Then you are the arrogant fool that Neytiri does not want to believe you are."

"Lay off. I am looking for someone. She should have been back by now…" He started to head off into the thicker brush, when Tsu'tey's voice stopped him.

"You search for the Scientist."

"Yeah, why? You wouldn't have seen her…."

"I saw. She went in the direction of the river. She claimed to need to clear her mind."

"Thank you." Moving away, he found one of the horses standing about. Slowly approaching it, he attempted to bond with it. Succeeding, he directed it east. Nightfall was coming fast, and he knew it would be hard to find her in the darkest hours. Urging the horse to go faster, he flew through the bushes, knowing that she should have gotten there. Remembering the path that Neytiri showed him, Jake moved through it, and he saw the remains of a structure. Dismounting from the horse, he moved toward the opening.

The sight that met his eyes was enough to make him vomit. Inside the structure, there were two Na'vi children, both looked to be very young. They were fine, but the one who had seemingly protected them was not. Grace's avatar lay on the ground, her forearm and upper ribs were torn open and bleeding. Looking to the children, he saw that they were too scared to talk, so he moved immediately to her.

"Grace… Grace?" Gently shaking her shoulder, he received a sharp intake of breath as an answer. Mentally kicking himself, he took some remaining fabric that had come from his shirt and looked over it. Seeing a nearby stream, he took the cloth and soaked it in water. Returning, he pressed it to her ribs, causing a hissing sound. Looking up, he saw her eyes were open and her teeth were bared.

_You ain't done nothing wrong but I think we need to talk  
>You might be the one but before we go too far<br>I need a little time to figure out my heart  
>Who could ask for more but I need to know for sure<em>

He had seen Grace in her worst and best moods, and now he was seeing her in her worst day. Pressing the cool cloth against her ribs, he muttered more to her than anyone else. All he could keep saying was "hold on", "eyes open", and "stay with me, Grace". He looked to the oldest child, who was awake and looking at him.

"She saved us from the beast."

"What beast? Never mind... I need help… I cannot do this on my own…" He looked to the horse outside. "Have you bonded with them?"

"Not yet. Father says I am not ready."

"Well, you're ready now. I need you to get help." Jake moved to the horse, motioning for the boy to come along. Once he did, Jake showed him how to bond with the horse, and after a moment, the horse accepted him. "Now hold on tight, and concentrate. Think 'I need to get back to Hometree'. That will get you home."

"What about my sister?"

"I will protect her. Go, hurry. I need medicine."

He watched as the horse went at a good trot, and he turned back, seeing Grace struggle to sit up. "Don't even think about it." He made his way back into the structure, and again, pressed the cloth to her ribs.

"Damnit, Jake…" Her voice was broken. It reflected her position right then. He would have laughed if they were in the Shack and he had just interrupted her sleep, but they weren't. The situation was far worse than that. He saw that her eyes were open and she was looking around, attempting to see him. Finding a few broken branches, sand, and rocks, he isolated them so that he could burn the wood without destroying the rest of the living grass and plants around them. Remembering the lighter Norm had lifted a while ago, he used it to generate the first flame, and after that, his face came into view.

"What are you doing here… You know it's dangerous." He didn't expect an answer, knowing that she wanted to rip his head off for touching the wound. She surprised him though.

"I needed to clear my mind… Lost focus."

"I know the feeling. It was close to nightfall when you left. How long have you been here?"

"Three hours…"

He cursed under his breath. The thought of this happening and no one knowing about it was pissing him off. Jake saw something else. He had heard the full account of what happened to Sylwanin. He knew her relation to Neytiri, and now he saw the pain that went along with the anniversary. Knowing that he couldn't do much at all until help arrived, he moved so that she could see him, and looked down into her eyes. They were expressionless.

"What attacked you?"

"Thanator… It wasn't right…" She paused, trying to think of the right words. "The Na'vi would say it doesn't speak with Eywa... It is hard to explain-"

"Don't worry about it, just relax. I know that's hard for you." He remembered what she had said when he had first linked with his avatar. "I won't ask you to let your mind go blank, though. That would be impossible."

"Smart-ass." From what he could tell, she rolled her eyes at him, which made him laugh slightly. He touched her shoulder, causing her to look at him with an odd expression. "What?"

"It's just… When I first saw you, I thought you were some cold stone bitch. No offense."

"None taken. That's the persona that works around here. Go soft, show how much you care, and you're practically run over."

_I haven't been myself from the minute that we met_  
><em>I ran into your world and kinda walked out on myself<em>  
><em>All those dreams I had, I began to second guess for you<em>  
><em>One too many questions until I know the truth…<em>

He saw that was true. She had been cold to all those who were starting out. Norm had taken less of it, but it was still there. Grace isolated herself from every human possible, choosing instead, to live through her Avatar, which, in a way, was what Jake was doing. As a human, he was confined to his wheelchair, and as his avatar, he had freedoms he could only wish for since losing his legs. Now, she was in danger of losing the one thing she had resorted to caring about, and he, as a person who understood that, couldn't let it happen. He silently prayed to whatever God, Eywa, or otherwise, to allow the Omaticaya to find the path and get there in time. Her eyes were starting to close when he looked down next.

"Hey, don't bail on me now. We've still got a lot of work to do, Grace." Getting no response from her, he groaned. Taking her shoulder again, he gently shook her. This resulted in her eyes snapping open, her jaw clenching. "Good."

"Good? Shit…" This made him smile again, causing her to roll her eyes. "What good is this?"

"You're still here. That's the good in this situation." He sat down, his back against the collapsed rubble, looking straight forward. "You know, all this stuff… It seemed so unreal to me. At first, when I saw Pandora, I thought it was some twisted dream I was having. I never thought I'd be here, driving an avatar, fighting to keep Hometree safe, or any of this. I thought I'd be a hired gun to keep the compound at Hell's Gate safe. I thought I'd still be a foot soldier on Earth. Guess war put an end to that." He thought of his human body, out like a light in his link capsule. "I always thought this was your world, not mine. I just stumbled in here, thinking it would be like any other terrain…"

"Man, were you wrong." Her voice had been reduced to a whisper, but Jake heard the distant hooves of the horses returning. "Jake?"

"Hang on. I'll think of some sort of comeback for that." Squeezing her shoulder, he got up, and headed out, and thankfully, his smoke had led them right to him. Tsu'tey dismounted from his horse, followed by Neytiri. They, along with a few others entered, and Neytiri's breath caught. Jake urged them to do whatever they could, knowing that Mo'at was behind them. They parted, allowing her entry, and she, along with two other "healers" assessed the situation. Jake stood back, allowing them to do what they needed to. Tsu'tey took him to the side.

"She protected the young ones?"

"From the thanator. She said it no longer speaks with Eywa." Jake said this, and Tsu'tey's eyes widened. "What?"

"Palulukan… It is a fearsome creature. It can crush the life out of us easily, but it prefers to remain harmless, only a threat to Sky People."

"Yeah, I got that far… What is she doing?" Was that awe Jake heard? Tsu'tey watched Mo'at work furiously to neutralize the venom that was clearly infecting Grace's arm. "What happened?"

"It is venom…" Tsu'tey paused, thinking for a moment. "Something else came… after Palulukan…" Turning to the girl who had stayed behind, he gave her a slightly softer look. "Len pe'lem, fitsenge?" The girl looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the fear that she and Jake were feeling right about now. Her words were quiet but discernable.

"Palulukan zalma'u. Mawkrr, Nguwayit stolawm oe. "

"Viperwolves…" Jake glared around, wishing he had seen the stalking creatures' shadows, but there was nothing. Tsu'tey looked down at the girl as her brother approached. Apparently she wasn't done speaking.

"Nantang Tokxtorit 'oleko. Po fralmip peyä pun."

"Irayo, ma 'eve." Releasing her with a simple wave of his hand, he motioned for the boy to lead her back, away from this place. Turning back, he paused, looking Jake over. He had been listening carefully to Jake's tone throughout the conversation and came to one conclusion. "You care for her?"

"Yes." Jake took a minute to really think about his question. _Of course I care about her… I mean, why wouldn't I? _"I do"

"Even after her banishment?"

"Yes. I still do. I know what happened, and I know the consequences. I know what that has done. She has since stopped caring for her human form, working only to better your people as a Na'vi. I fear she wants her human life to end and her avatar, or Na'vi life to begin. I've seen her world through my eyes, and now I've seen just what she would give to protect it."

"Her life." They were interrupted as Mo'at exited the enclosure. She stood between the two men.

"She will survive. The worst is over. Now, she needs rest."

"What can I do?" Jake was surprised as Tsu'Tey echoed in his question. The Tsahik shook her head, looking at Tsu'tey.

"Take her on the back of your Ikran. It will carry you both with much speed back. Jake'Sully, follow me."

Tsu'tey and Jake entered the enclosure, seeing the other healers backing away. The fire Jake had built had done some good. The heat had made it easier for the venom extraction. Jake knelt, seeing her eyes closed, and lifted her from the ground. Tsu'tey called for his Ikran, which was a blue-gray color. It took a few minutes to get there, but when it did he bonded with it immediately. Jake handed her over, and watched as they took off into the air. Remembering Mo'at's request, Jake turned back and saw her waiting for him. He approached, having no idea what this was about. She made it brief.

"Your destiny is intertwined with hers now. There is no turning away or denying it. Protect her, and she will save you. Eywa has made that very clear."

_I need room to breathe_  
><em>A little time to think<em>  
><em>To make sure I don't lose me<em>  
><em>I need room to breathe<em>

Jake took her words into consideration after he had bonded with one of the direhorses that Tsu'tey had abandoned. He rode off, ahead of the others, his mind not really set on any destination. He had to distance himself from Mo'at. Her words were still echoing in his ears, when he found himself in front of a clearing. It was still dark, but the bioluminescence was starting to illuminate Pandora. Jake looked around the open field, spotting a greying tail. Removing his bow that he had miraculously learned to shoot accurately, he saw the tail wriggle, almost in the way of a snake. Immediately he dismounted the horse, removing his dagger, and placing the bow back. The head of the viperwolf swiveled, locking yellow eyes on him, and its upper body was soon to turn, revealing sharp and bloodied claws and fangs. Jake charged at the thing, forcing his dagger into its unknowing neck. The wolf had hardly seen him coming, when he plunged one of the arrows into the same wound as his blade. The toxin started working, but not before the thing clawed his face. A large gash was made from his eye down, but the thing's movements slowed and ceased just as quickly as they had started. At this point, Jake began stabbing the creature, plunging his knife into its body and screaming in rage. Finally, the tail stopped moving, and Jake dropped his dagger. The viperwolf had long been dead, but he kept going. Looking up, he silently prayed for Eywa's forgiveness, while taking the dagger and forcing it into the ground and pulling it back up. The blood of the wolf was now gone. Mounting the horse, he left the animal to rot.

Directing his attentions to Hometree, he rode swiftly through the slowly lightening forest, knowing that he had now been "up" for twenty-four straight hours. Finally seeing the towering tree, he slowed down, allowing the horse to walk. When he neared the boundary, he dismounted, moving from the roots to a platform, where he could see what all was going on. He saw Grace's avatar lying in one of the hammocks, and he dropped down into the one beside her. Mo'at saw him.

"She has just allowed sleep to take her. Rest." With that, he dropped his head back, and allowed his eyes to close.

* * *

><p>Feeling someone shaking him, he opened his eyes. Norm and Trudy were both looking at him concernedly. He sat up, swinging his useless legs back over, and fell into his wheelchair. Cursing as his foot hit the floor with a loud thump, he looked to the other link unit that was now no longer active. "Grace?"<p>

"Hasn't woke yet. Why?"

"Her avatar is asleep. You sure?"

"Yeah. Her capsule hasn't come out of link yet." Norm headed over, and his face went from confused to panicked. "Oh man… shit!"

"What?" Jake forced his chair to move, while his arms were protesting. "What's goin' on?"

"According to these read outs…" Norm hesitated, and as he finished reading, he motioned for Jake and Trudy to read on.

"She's dead…" The words and brain activity were there in various colours. She was not breathing, her brain showed no activity, and the heart monitor was flat-lined. Norm did an emergency ejection of the link bed, hoping that she would throw the lid off and look at them with that "what the hell are you staring at?" look that she was so famous for. When Norm carefully lifted the lid, they saw that the monitors weren't false. Jake had beaten Norm in checking for a pulse, and he found none. Feeling a sudden wave of cold sweep over him, Jake threw himself back onto his link bed, slamming the lid down over himself. He heard Trudy's voice as he attempted to let his mind go blank.

"Let him go, Norm."

* * *

><p>Feeling the cool night air, Jake sat up, almost forgetting what he had just done. Seeing no one around, he looked to his right. Grace's avatar was lying there, and for a second, it was lifeless. He then saw her chest moving rhythmically up and down. This let him relax slightly, but he was really confused. Hearing something, he looked up. Neytiri was looking at him from somewhere above.<p>

"Back so soon?"

"Something is strange." Jake watched Grace's breathing, and it continued to calm him down. "You know how she said that to be a Dreamwalker, we had two bodies, this one and the other one that is asleep?"

"Yes…" Neytiri came down, resting in a fork in the tree branches. Hearing something else, Jake saw Tsu'tey climbing up. "I see you do not take Mo'at's advice, Dreamwalker."

"That's what I'm famous for…" He turned back to Neytiri, who motioned for Tsu'tey to join her. "Well, she doesn't have another body anymore."

"What do you mean? Is it gone?"

"No. It's dead… The attack took its toll on her human or "Sky People" body. This is all she has."

"It is what she wanted." Tsu'tey commented on this, while Neytiri put two and two together. "What is wrong with this?"

"It's not supposed to happen. When the human body dies, the avatar, meaning this one," Jake motioned to the sleeping form beside him, "is supposed to die as well, or that's what I was told…"

"Perhaps they told you wring." Neytiri looked at Jake sternly, almost as if he had misheard. Jake shook his head.

"No. I was warned countless times that if I didn't be careful, my human body and avatar would die. This is so confusing…" Hearing Tsu'tey get up, Jake looked at him. "You don't think this had something to do with Eywa, do you?"

"It is not my place to say whether Eywa was responsible."

"Who's is it? Otherwise, this is impossible…"

"You should speak with Mother." Neytiri said this while descending from the tree. Dropping to the ground, along with Tsu'tey, they headed back into the heart of Hometree. Feeling too wound up to sleep, Jake sat there, watching Grace's chest move up and down. He thought it would be enough to see her alive, but now it wasn't. He had to know why. Skimming the lower branches, he did not see the resident Tsahik anywhere. This slightly annoyed him, but he let it go. "I'll find out tomorrow…"

Deciding to just watch her for awhile, Jake leaned back against the same fork in the tree that Neytiri had just occupied. It was hardly any higher than where he had just been. The view was just as good. "Sometimes I wonder what's real and what isn't… How did you do it, Grace?" Receiving no answer, Jake sighed. He had no desire to leave, sleep, or talk. Jake had become restless Nothing was relaxing Feeling the wind pick up, Jake dragged his hands from his sides to his face. Dropping from the fork, he settled for picking up Grace's avatar and dropping into the hammock she had just been occupying.

"I'll wait. It's all I've got..."

_I know you're not to blame and I swear there's no one new_  
><em>This has to do with me and not a thing to do with you<em>  
><em>So don't try to understand you don't have a thing to prove to me<em>  
><em>If you really love me just give me what I need.<em>

The night passed slowly, almost as if the sun refused to rise. Feeling the exhaustion washing over him every so often, Jake just sat there, his eyes slowly closing then reopening, closing and again, reopening. This process went on for at least three hours. Hearing movement, he looked down. Tsu'tey was headed to bed, closely followed by Neytiri, who had motioned for someone to come near. Looking closer, he saw Mo'at ascending, until she was across from him, giving him the look that had made him call her the "dragon-lady".

"I will say this for you, Jake'Sully. You are persistent."

"I was just about to come and find you." Jake spoke quietly, almost as if he were losing his voice. "What… What happened in there?" Thinking better of what he had said, he rephrased. "In the enclosure… What happened? I am confused."

"Why is this?" The Tsahik gave him a level stare. "What is there to be confused about?"

"Her other body is dead." The words were almost one because he spoke so fast. "What happened?"

"The most difficult part is over. She has made it this far. Do not doubt that Eywa walks with her on her journey back."

"What?" Hearing this, Jake felt panicked. "What do you mean? How is this-"

"There is nothing more to explain. You must have faith. I urge you to rest." She stood, leaving him there, and as her words sank in, Jake let his head drop back. It wasn't voluntary, but he couldn't resist the thought of rest, either.

* * *

><p>Waking in the shack again, Jake saw that Trudy was the only one still there. Norm had gone to let off some steam, though it was common knowledge that they weren't supposed to drive their avatars after sundown. Slowly sitting up, Jake looked back out the window, seeing the darkened canopy beyond the shack's barriers.<p>

"You okay?" The voice almost caused Jake to drop into the floor. He recovered quickly enough to get into his chair, spinning to face the live occupant in the room.

"Should I be?" He took a look at the link bed that no one had bothered to close, shivering slightly. "I should have been there. I shouldn't have let her go off on her own."

"Blame game's dangerous, Jake. Everyone loses, because there's no way of knowing what would or could have happened." Trudy looked down at the corpse as well, letting her eyes close momentarily. "Besides, she wouldn't have let you be her babysitter. You know she'd have kicked your ass if she knew you were following her."

"Yeah…" Grudgingly, he had to admit that she was right. Grace was independent to her last breath, and that was apparently her downfall. Thinking about what Mo'at had said, Jake thought about repeating it. Seeing that Norm was a way away, he went on with it. "There's something I found out that makes no sense."

"Like?" Crossing her arms, Trudy watched as Jake leaned forward in the chair, examining the body he had now hesitantly approached.

"It's something Mo'at said. You know, the shaman?"

"Yeah. I think I paid enough attention to the hierarchy. She's the one who wears red, right?"

"Yeah, Dragon-lady." He paused, thinking about the look on Grace's face when she heard him call the Tsahik that. "She said something funny, when we found out what had happened. When they left, she said that Grace needed rest."

"How's that possible? Norm said that according to the readouts, the second the attack got bad, the body reacted, going into shock."

"I know… That's the thing. When I went back out there, she was breathing."

"Hold up, you're saying…"

"She's alive out there." Jake confirmed it, and he could have laughed at the look on Trudy's face. Thinking about it, he realized that the scientist was better off dead right now. Thinking about the long range possibilities, he looked up. "One thing, though. Don't tell the others."

"No problem. How are you going to explain this when it blows up in your face?"

"It shouldn't. I don't know when she's going to wake up. Hell, I don't know if she'll ever wake up. Mo'at says that Eywa walks with her on her journey back."

"Weird." Trudy stood up. "I'm going to check on the flight plan for later. You'd better bet that as soon as this news hits the fan, Selfridge and Quaritch are both going to be ready to move."

"Yeah. See what you can do to stall them."

"I'll try. No promises." Trudy moved toward the airlock, pulling down an exopack on her way out. Jake heard the door close tightly behind her, and he watched her shadow as it crossed to the Samson, which was parked about thirty yards away. Looking back down, that same wave of cold hit him.

"I feel the hand of death on my shoulder, and all I can think is I hope it isn't yours." Looking out the window again, he thought about all that had happened in the last three months. Reaching out, he switched on his camera, deciding to get some of this off his mind, rather than leaving it there to fester. "Time is 23:22, location Shack. Today was one of my worst days. I think I am getting the hang of all this, being one of the people and all, but my days have already blurred together. It's hard to believe it's already been three months. I've practically mastered my ikran, become a decent hunter, and should become one of them officially soon… The only bad thing is that this happens…' He turned away, allowing the camera to catch what was just behind him. Turning his chair so that he was parallel with her link bed, Jake placed his hand over Grace's. "I turn my back, get distracted, and when I wake up, something happens. Now, she's "dead" for all intents and purposes, and my head is still spinning like I just got sucker punched. Norm was helpful with the language, but I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for her looking after my ass for the last three months. Hell, I wouldn't have eaten, had I not been reminded on a daily basis, that if I don't, I'll die. Shit…"

He took a moment to move his hand across his face, trying to wake himself up a little more, but it wasn't working. The silence in the room was almost unnerving, so he continued with his log.

"It's better, I guess, that they don't know that she's dead or alive right now. Let them think she's out here running this operation with both bodies, rather than possibly one. If they knew that she was dead, I'm sure Selfridge's next words would be "pull the plug", or the Colonel, whoever could say it first." He paused, looking down again, seeing the corpse, not that that was how he wanted to think of it right now. "I can't go back out there. If I do, I'll just fall over and sleep. If I stay here, I'll probably go crazy, knowing she's out there and I'm in here. Somehow, I feel responsible, and I don't know, for the life of me, why. I didn't kill Sylwanin, but it was guys like me who pulled the trigger, marines who were out for themselves…" He looked around, seeing various pictures on one of the desks. "She thinks of her a lot now, seeing a daily reminder of the girl who was supposed to be Tsahik, supposed to grow up to be a strong hunter, the girl that got killed because she was trying to stop a god-damned bulldozer… That is what led to this." He motioned to the body again. "She deals with that grief and burden every day, and I made it worse by asking about it." Turning fully back to the camera, he thought of a final statement for this log, searching through everything he had learned. "I'm gonna fix this… I've got to. I brought her back here because I have been reporting to the Colonel, not that Hell's Gate was one of the best places to be… If all this is real, all this connection stuff with Eywa, I hope she sees that she's got a few allies, because I'm done. I've filed my last report with Quaritch. Fuck him giving me my legs back. I've already got them. It's time I saw and appreciated that."

Cutting off the camera, he turned back, hearing the door open again. Trudy removed her exopack from around her neck, hanging it up on the mount on the wall. Coming to stand next to Jake's chair, she saw that he had just finished his log.

"That goin' to the Colonel?"

"No. I've filed my last report with him." Jake reviewed it, making sure he had said all that he wanted to tonight. Trudy was impressed by it, nodding at the end.

"Good. I saw the flight plan. He wants to hit Hometree within a few days. You'd better hope that you can talk them out of leaving before then." She paused, tossing off her jacket. 'Oh, and you didn't open up old wounds, getting her to talk about the killing."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. She hasn't said anything about it since it happened. She didn't even say anything to Max. When that happened, she shut down completely, deciding to screw over the RDA while acting like she was still working for them.'

"Sabotage as revenge."

"Good plan. I'm surprised it hasn't blown up in her face, though. A few people who tried stuff like this were either "accidentally killed" or were sent home."

"Lucky, I guess."

"Pray her luck doesn't run out." Trudy crossed her arms, hearing Norm's unit coming out of link. As the bed emerged, she headed for the shower. "Tell him I'll be out in a bit."

"Sure." Seeing the lid rise, Jake faced Norm as he sat up. He looked awful, slightly pale, with beads of sweat forming at his brow. "Hey."

"Hey…" Standing, the anthropologist turned, seeing his colleague still motionless. "God…" Shaking his head, he sat down in a chair across from them, at his own camera, deciding not to work on his log anymore. "Nothing to report, anyway…"

"No." Jake thought about it, keeping his hand covering Grace's left one. "There is some good news, though."

"Like what? The RDA isn't bringing in a death squad to shoot us all, now that we're useless?"

"Well yeah, but there's something else." Jake couldn't keep his mouth from working its way into a ghost of a grin at that. "We're not done."

"Why?"

"She's still alive, out there."

"Oh yeah? How? In the form of a woodsprite?" Norm's attitude was definitely sarcastic, like he didn't believe what he was hearing. It was understandable. Jake still felt a little uneasy about it.

"No. I mean she's alive, avatar-wise." He let his head fall to one side, his neck popping loudly. "That's why I went back this last time. When I found her, I got help. Mo'at came, along with some others, and she said the worst was over. She said Grace needed rest." The Tsahik's words were still buzzing around in his head, so he repeated them. 'She said that our destinies were intertwines, or something like that… Then she said I should protect her. "Protect her, and she will save you." That's what she said. I woke up at Hometree and she was breathing right there beside me. Mo'at also said…" He paused, thinking of her exact words. "Don't doubt that Eywa walks with her on her journey back." The words caught in his throat, though they came out evenly. He felt as if he had a noose around his neck, growing tighter and tighter. 'She left her avatar body too…"

_I need room to breathe_  
><em>A little time to think<em>  
><em>To make sure I don't lose me<em>  
><em>I need room to breathe<em>

Norm realized the same thing, thinking hard about it. He heard something in the back, and started looking around. Spotting Trudy's jacket, he looked back at Jake. "Does she know?"

"Trudy? Yeah, she knows. I told her while you were out."

"You think she left her avatar and somehow she's got to come back to it?"

'That's what it sounds like… I don't know, though. Could be completely wrong."

"I don't think so…" Norm moved toward Grace's desk, looking through a file that he had been reading earlier in the week. "Here it is…" Searching the notes, he found a paragraph he had marked. "Check this out." He started reading aloud, and Jake leaned back, listening. "Sometimes I get the feeling that there is more to this than just a global network. Downloading data is the simplest way I can put it… The Na'vi can access this network through sites like the Utral Aymokriyä, or Tree of Vision. They store memories, a record of their lives, for future generations there. I have started to wonder if the process can work in reverse. It is an interesting thought, an entire lifetime of memories, experiences, placed into another person… Surely, if they can store them, then they can retrieve them. That is why Mo'at spends a great deal of her free time near the site near Hometree. She learns from past Tsahiks and Eyktans… It is how they have become so wise and connected to this world… The possibilities are endless…"

"Wow, that definitely sounds like her." Jake had listened, hearing of the Tree of Vision earlier from Mo'at herself. Norm looked up, thinking for a moment.

"There's more here… "I know that Eywa, if she actually exists, didn't anticipate a bunch of ruthless and savage humans coming around and trying to turn Pandora upside down, but why would she leave herself so vulnerable? Having read and studies the activities of the Vitraya Ramunong, the Well of Souls, I see it as the epicenter of the planet. If that place is destroyed, then the entire planet will practically go to Hell. There will be no direct connection to Eywa or this network at all. The flora and fauna will be out of sync with the Na'vi, and chaos will envelop this world as it has Earth. I can only hope that the RDA never finds this out." Norm replaced the paper back into a file folder, looking around. "I hope she's right. If the RDA finds out about this, they will use it to practically paralyze the Na'vi."

"Yeah…" Jake thought about the video log that he hadn't sent to the Colonel yet. The bit about the Well of Souls was in it, and he didn't want that burden on his shoulders. "Trudy said she'd be out in a sec. I'm going to bed…" He took one last look at the woman whose hand he had a hold of, releasing it, and headed toward his bunk, swearing he saw her head shift in his direction.

_Please don't try to take this wrong_  
><em>Please don't turn away<em>  
><em>I just don't want to look back and say<em>

Feeling his head hit the pillow as he lay back, Jake tried to get the coldness to leave him. It couldn't be shaken, though. It was like there was a thin layer of ice that refused to melt that surrounded his body. Hearing Norm head for the showers, he cut his losses, shifting so that he was looking back toward the link units. Closing his eyes, he wanted sleep to just instantly take him, take him far from this place and into the open arms of Pandora's forests. Feeling no such relief, e turned his head, so that he wasn't looking straight up. It felt a little awkward, anyway. His body was turned toward the units, and his head was facing up. It would give him a killer cramp in the morning. Hearing the water as it hit the floor of the shower in a rhythmic pattern, he let that lull him to sleep.

* * *

><p>Feeling the night air across his face, it was too real for a dream. The simple glow of the trees and other flora were enough to cause him to open his eyes. Unfortunately, the scene was not as serene as he had hoped. Hearing the sounds of bulldozers, Jake stood, moving away from his place, wherever it was. The trucks were closer, almost on top of him, and he couldn't see them. Emerging into a clearing, he saw just what had illuminated the area. The towering willow tree, the well of souls, stood ominous, perfect, and threatening all at once. There was a thickness to the air that he didn't like. It was stifling; the smell of fuel, burning rubber, and the sound of cracking wood filled the air. Looking down from his place on a low ridge, Jake saw just what was causing it. The bulldozers were moving n, fleets of them, all closing in around the base of the great willow. Hearing the desperate shouting, he looked back, many of the Na'vi, mostly Omaticaya, rushed forward. Some of them had mounted direhorses, some on Ikrans, others were just on foot. There were some Na'vi he didn't recognize, all rushing at him, almost passing through him. One actually saw him. Coming up from the back, he felt hands gripping his shoulders, and as he turned, he recognized who it was.<p>

"Grace…"

"What have you done?" Her tone was sharp, blurred in a way, but sharp enough so that he could understand her over the dull roar.

"Nothing…"

"Then do something!" Her words entered his mind, practically propelling him forward, but there was no use. He was motionless. The ground had swallowed his feet, or so he felt, and he was unable to move. Feeling her hands leave his shoulders, he saw her run past him, moving down toward the tree, but it was too late. From nowhere, incendiaries rained down, clashing with the sacred tree. Their orange bursts brought the heat of hell as they shattered and set the area ablaze. Hearing the protests and war cries, he was helpless. The cracking of the wood became stronger and louder as he saw the tree starting to shake with the help of the bulldozers. Trying to move again, he felt something go up his body, almost like the roots of trees near him snaking their way up his legs and holding him there. Opening his mouth, he found he couldn't speak. As the tree shook violently one last time, Jake felt a surge of pain, almost electricity, as it came through him. He felt the collective fear of the people below as the tree started to fall toward them. As it came down, Jake felt himself sink to his knees, his energy gone, strength gone, and voice gone. Clawing at the edge of his invisible prison, he tried to propel himself forward. It was then that he saw his skin was no longer blue. He was pale as the men tearing this world apart. His human hands pulled at the grass, setting it on fire as his skin came in contact with it.

Feeling the flames as they sprang to life under him, Jake struggled against his useless body, trying to put the fire out as he lay burning. It was no use, though. The tree had come down, and now all that was left was a fiery glade, bodies twisting and burning within it. Calling out, he didn't hear his own voice. The screams of the others, countless Na'vi, were all that he could understand. Seeing a smoldering body rising up from the chaos, he cringed. It came toward him, dropping to its knees before him, and he felt the burning, ashen hands as they encased his face. Five fingers on each side, tearing into his skin.

"Burn in the hell you've created."

* * *

><p>"Shit!"<p>

Jake sat bolt upright, feeling his back protest as it was facing an adjacent direction. Looking around, he saw the shack, Norm and Trudy both looking at him with concerned faces, and the sun as it glinted through the window. "Oh shit…"

"What the hell did you dream about?" Norm stood there, arms hanging loosely at his sides, eyes slightly dark from not enough sleep. "You were movin' around like crazy last night.'

"Yeah. Thought for a minute you were about to fall off in the floor." Trudy said this while nearly choking on her coffee. "Must have been bad, judging by the look on your face."

"I don't want to talk about it…"

_I need room to breathe_  
><em>A little time to think<em>  
><em>To make sure I don't lose me<em>  
><em>I need room to breathe<em>

That was all he had said to them that morning. Getting up, he had gone straight for the showers, gotten a long one, and headed out to drive his avatar. Letting the lid close down on himself, he had one thought before he welcomed oblivion. _At least here, I don't dream…_ Feeling himself let go, he stopped moving, closing his eyes.

* * *

><p>Hearing voices, Jake opened his eyes, expecting to see nothing but the sun glaring down at him through the trees, but he didn't. He was in a sitting position, slumped over, no less, and as he focused on what was in front of him, he saw Mo'at nearby, muttering something to Tsu'tey, who looked tired. There weren't as many people as he thought around him. Eytukan was down below, speaking to some of the elder hunters about somethin, and Neytiri was nowhere to be found. Remembering what all he had done the night before, the reality hit him. Feeling something, no, someone in his arms, he looked down. Grace's sleeping form was still there, still breathing.<p>

"Better give her room to breathe when she wakes up, or she'll kill me…"

* * *

><p>Na'vi Translations:<p>

"Palulukan zalma'u. Mawkrr, Nguwayit stolawm oe. "= A thanator came. Then, I heard the howl of a Viperwolf.  
>"Nantang Tokxtorit 'oleko. Po fralmip peyä pun." = The Viperwolf attacked the Doctor. He bit her arm.<br>"Irayo, ma 'eve." = Thank you child (female)


	2. But Hell's Gate Calls Me

**Break My Heart, Save My Life  
><strong>_Chapter Two: But Hell's Gate Calls Me_

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews for the first chapter! Haven't done an Avatar story yet, so this is a surprise to have a good start. As an explanation, the lyrics from the last chapter are open to interpretation. I didn't direct them toward any certain character, because from a reader's experience, to each their own. Everyone sees it in a different way. This story is a first, because it will be what you make of it. I won't have any certain meaning to lyrics when I use them Enjoy.

* * *

><p>For a moment, it seemed unreal. He was sitting here, holding onto someone who apparently wasn't supposed to be here. That in itself was enough to make his head spin. Wrapping his hand around hers, Jake didn't want to leave. Unfortunately, training took precedent. He had been neglecting his ikran since this had happened, and he needed more practice with him. Thankfully, Neytiri showed up, along with Tsu'tey, who was headed out for some morning hunting. A small stirmbeast herd was moving past, and some of the older ones were slower, meaning, they would suffice for the hunt. THz stronger ones would move on.<p>

Seeing them leaving, he shifted, replacing Grace's avatar, and he then proceeded to drop from the hammock, hearing Tsu'tey calling for hunters. Getting away from the tree, he called his ikran, mounting him after a brief pat. Concentrating, he felt the banshee rise, taking him up into the thinner branches of Hometree. Neytiri had risen just before him, and Jake saw Seze heading north. Following, he saw the small herd, traveling toward a watering hole that they frequented, and he felt his fingers tighten around his bow as he pulled it from his back. Waiting for the right opportunity, he readied himself. His ikran went for a slight dive, as he rose from his position. Drawing his bow, Jake felt every muscle tighten as he released the arrow, letting it drive itself into the fleshy back of one of the cow's back. Hearing a few shouts of excitement, he continued, waiting for the others to move on. Seeing another that lagged behind, he readied himself again, but this time, he was beaten to it. Tsu'tey was beside him, diving down, and when both of their arrows were released, his hit first, followed by Jake's. Seeing a decent amount of the elder talioang falling due to the raining down of arrows, Jake waited for the order to release their ikrans and haul the dead back to be cut, cleaned, and cured. When it came, he dropped down, releasing his with a fluid motion, and headed to join the other hunters in lifting the larger beasts.

Feeling the weight of the animal on his shoulders, Jake was reminded o his burdens. They pressed down like dead weight on him both here and back in his other body. Knowing that he had Quaritch to deal with, he quickened his pace. The other hunters behind him protested, but they followed suit, moving faster, back toward Hometree, where a fire would already be going. Reaching the inner communal ground, he felt a slight dizziness coming over him. Putting the head of the beast down, he didn't wait for the others to do the same with the rest of its body. Leaning against the tree, he felt the ground shift under him. Everything was swimming together, colors, sounds, and the hands that were on his shoulders. He felt as if they were driving him down into the ground. The next thing he knew, he was looking up into Norm's face as he was being pulled up into a sitting position. Unable to speak, he let the other man do the talking.

"Sorry I had to pull you out… Something's up. Quaritch wants to see you and Trudy at Hell's Gate right now."

"Why?" He hated the way he sounded, half asleep or drunk. Either way, he wasn't pleased with it. Trudy was straightening her jacket, throwing it on, and she saw how he looked.

"Nice. Try to wake up, alright?" She looked over at Norm, seeing the confusion still on his face. "I don't know what he wants, but usually, it's not really good when he summons people like this."

"I'd say not"

Jake finally shook off the initial hangover-like feeling, knowing that it wouldn't leave him for awhile. Dropping into his chair, he moved toward his bunk, seeing the pile of clothes he could choose from. Getting a clean shirt, he threw his old one off and pulled the other one on. Making sure he looked decent, he followed Trudy out the airlock and toward her Samson which was already running. "No idea what he wants, huh?"

"Nope." Helping him up into it, she pulled his chair up as she went, securing it as he was finishing securing himself. Preparing to dust off, she looked back. "I sure hope he hasn't figured out anything yet."

"How would he?" Jake felt the Samson shudder as it lifted from the ground. "Oh well… I figure he's not about to congratulate us on our efforts."

"Nah, probably the opposite."

That was the last they spoke as they left the mountains. Looking through the window, Jake saw the expanse of Pandoran forests as he passed over it. Wanting nothing more than to melt into it, he kept his eyes open as long as he could, feeling them start to pulse and ache from loss of moisture. Finally blinking, he saw the rushing waterfall below, knowing that they had left the mountains and were approaching Hell's Gate. That was the problem with the RDA. They wouldn't let them go out of quick reach. They were lucky to be out at Site 26 right now.

"This is Samson 1-6, on approach to Hell's Gate Tower."

"You're clear, Samson 1-6." Hearing that, Trudy went down, as slow as possible, turning to Jake.

"You ready for this?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Great." She leveled out, coming in for a good landing on one of the closest launchpads to the facility. "We'll need a close spot, I think. This ain't a social visit."

"Didn't think so."

Shutting down the motor, Trudy released herself, undoing his chair from the secure harness, and placed it outside the Samson, securing an exopack as she went. Jake had done the same, allowing himself to breathe easier, and in moments, he was in his chair and headed into the tower, toward one of Quaritch's favorite places, a lecture hall. Once inside, they noticed that some of the grunts were giving them looks, looks that weren't pleasant. Passing Max o his way back to the lab, they saw him look over his shoulder before nodding and saying hello. Trudy nodded back, knowing that things had gotten tight here. Entering the lecture hall, they saw the Colonel standing there with his back to them. They also saw Wainfleet and another grunt standing there in the doorway. Trudy frowned before speaking.

"You wanted to see us, Colonel?"

"I did. Dismissed." As he turned, the two others exited, Wainfleet giving them a slight look of interest. As the door closed, Quaritch approached, looking a little tired. "I'm questioning your resolve." Pausing, he looked them both over, seeing their stony expressions. "I haven't heard anything for a short while, and I expect to hear at least once or twice a week. I want information, and I'm not getting it."

"I've told you all that I know, sir." Jake spoke up, knowing that this was directed more toward him than Trudy. "I've been doing little things to get closer. Nothing major to report. When something happens, you'll be the second to know."

"That's what I want to hear, Corporal, but it's just talk until I see some results."

"Colonel, we're doing all that we can under the circumstances. People are breathing down our backs from both sides here." Trudy said this, knowing that Selfridge was also pressing for results. His last video conference with Grace made that pretty clear.

"As I said, that is just talk until I get some results." He looked out over his shoulder. "We're gettin' closer. All I need is enough power to blow that tree out of the ground-"

"I'm still working on talking them out. Our three months aren't up yet. I need that time to get this done-"

"You'll have them to get it done, but not a minute more, are we understood?"

"Yes sir." Both said this, knowing that it was probably true. Parker Selfridge couldn't keep a leash on this man for too long.

"Good. Chacon, you're dismissed. I've got a few words for Jake here."

"I'll be outside." Trudy nodded to the Colonel, heading out the door. Jake took that to mean that she was going to have a word with Max while she had the chance. When the door closed, he looked back at Quaritch, seeing the look change from restrained to stern.

"Where's the bitch?" Knowing that this would probably come up, Jake thought for a split second, hoping for a good answer that was believable.

"Migraine." It was the best thing that suited her. Stress had brought more and more migraines as of late, so it worked. "She's giving Spellman an ear-full right now."

"I'm sure." A slight smirk had flecked over his face, and Jake didn't like it. "Just as well. How much does she know?"

"Know?" Jake asked this in mock confusion, knowing full well what he was referring to.

"How much does she know about your slipping information out?"

"She knows I'm doing it, but she doesn't know what I've told you." He said this, working to keep the guilt out of his voice. "We're clear as far as she's concerned."

"Keep it that way." Crossing back to the window, Quaritch looked back out over the other launchpads. "Son, I'm counting on your information to hit these sons of bitches hard if they don't comply."

"With all due respect Sir, I'm nobody's son. I quit being someone's property a long time ago. I'm only out here doing this for one reason, to get my legs back."

"I can respect that…" Approaching the carbon wheelchair, he waited a second before slugging Jake in the face, leaving an angry red mark that was sure to turn into a black bruise. "but you're not in a position to correct me, are you?" Turning away again, he waved his hand in a form of dismissal, turning to give him one last remark. "Remember what I said, Corporal. Choose your side in this war. Ridin' the fence, sometime soon, you'll fall off."

It didn't take Jake long to recover from the shock of what had just happened. He turned his chair and headed through the door, which was being pulled open by another marine. When he passed, Jake headed for the lab, knowing that Trudy had gone there to test the stress levels here. Turning the corner and heading down the main hallway, Jake passed several scientists, all looking over their shoulders at him, as they passed. Turning down the right hallway that led to the lab, he waited for the doors to open. As they did, e entered, seeing Trudy looking toward the door, waiting for him. When she saw him, she turned fully toward him.

"Whoa, what happened?"

"Nothing." Jake joined her and Max, who was looking at him strangely. "Just said something that pissed him off. This is the result."

"Great. What did you say to him?" Max asked this, letting his head fall to the side slightly in a quizzical look.

"Just told him I'm nobody's "son" and that I stopped being someone's property when I joined the Marines."

"Impressive." Max looked around, seeing the others crowded around a few screens and turned back. "Has her condition changed?"

It took him a few seconds to catch on, but it hit him quickly. Keeping his voice low, he shook his head in the negative. "No. Nothing yet." Thinking about it, he wanted to get back for that reason. Looking to the clock, he saw that it was well past two in the afternoon. "I must have slept later than I thought."

"A little." Trudy looked up, hearing the doors opening again. Seeing a few techs coming and a few leaving, she relaxed. "I thought that the avatar died when the driver did, if they were…"

"That is what is supposed to happen." Max looked between them, reading their faces. "What exactly happened?"

At this, Trudy looked to Jake. She and Norm had no idea what all happened. All they knew was the end result. He thought about how best to explain it, knowing that there was no short version.

"I got done working with Neytiri, came out, and that's when I saw that she wasn't back. Usually, I'm the last one out. Going back in, I started looking, and Tsu'tey said she was headed for the river. I followed the best path and saw a rock enclosure. There was a blood trail, so I followed it. Two Na'vi children were there, so was she. Grace had a hole in her ribcage and upper arm." He paused, seeing some marines come in and leave with one of the drivers. "What's going on there?"

"Interrogations…" Max lowered his voice, knowing that the others were watching as well. "Go on."

"I reacted, started a fire, pissed her off by trying to clean the wound, and got one of the kids to go for help. She was talking for awhile, saying that a thanator did it. I heard the others coming, was practically kept out while Mo'at did her work, and had a Q & A session with Tsu'tey. Grace said that the Na'vi would have said that the thanator did not speak with Eywa. What does that mean?"

"I think it means that it was captured and mistreated. It was abused, while the RDA was doing some testing. The caught some young animals, wanting to know all about them, their risks, benefits, and their threat to the RDA's hold. When they were done, they released them, but the things were scarred, emotionally and physically. They were blinded by rage and vengeance. Now, they don't act normal."

"They took her back to Hometree, and Mo'at said something a little odd to me. I figure it's just Tsahik stuff…" He could still hear the words echoing in his head. "The girl that was still there said that it wasn't just the thanator. It was a viperwolf. She said it didn't speak with Eywa either, I think. I left, searching around, and I found it."

"That exact one?" Max looked at him a little skeptically. How do you know it was that one?"

"I saw her skin hanging from its mouth." He worked that image out of his head, continuing. "I killed it. I went off on the sorry thing. It clawed me, but I stabbed the poor bastard. Went back to Hometree and Mo'at said she had just gone to sleep. I assumed she was going to beat me back to the shack… I was wrong."

He paused, working out what happened again, trying to reason it out, but nothing was coming to mind, so Jake gave up, explaining to Max. It could render some insight from him. "I woke up, Norm and Trudy were standing over me, and when she came out of link, they said there were no life signs. I won't lie; I panicked, went back in, and saw her avatar sleeping, still breathing, and I'm still confused. I can't tell you how long I sat there. Mo'at said that it was done and that I shouldn't doubt that Eywa walked with her on her journey back. I don't know what it means, but…"

"Wow… She finally got what she wanted, sort of."

"Yeah, about that… No one else knows. You're the only one in this miserable tower that does. Norm, Jake, and I agreed not to say a word to the bureaucrats upstairs."

"Good idea. Speaking of the Gestapo, I suggest that you two leave, now." He motioned toward another pair of marines escorting the same scientist back. "They're hitting us hard. I was the first in line."

"If anyone asks, she's got a killer migraine, no pun intended.'

"Got it. Go."

Both of them headed for the door, bypassing the marines who had just left. Moving back down the main corridor, they waited for the outer airlock to depressurize. Throwing their exopacks on, they approached the Samson, Trudy getting him in first.

"I've got a feeling we're lucky to be leaving.'

"Yeah. I think I'm lucky to be in one piece."

"You're lucky he didn't ask any more questions." Trudy secured his chair again, starting up the engine, impatiently tapping her fingers on the dashboard. "Come on…"

"We're good, otherwise we'd have bullets pelting this thing."

"True." Feeling the familiar shudder, Trudy radioed Norm. "Hey, how's it going out there?"

"Quiet and still a little awkward. I feel like her eyes have burned a hole in the wall and are staring at me."

"She always did say she was always watching." Trudy said this, laughing slightly, watching Jake shake with silent laughter as well. "Oh well…"

"How was the ass chewing?"

"It was better than expected. He just told us to watch it."

"Keeping his bitches in a row. Good thing you two defected." Norm paused, hearing Jake say something. "What?"

"I said he is trying. He's got all the scientists worrying about brutal interrogations. Two of them have been escorted out while we were there. Max already had his turn."

"Go figure." They flew back over the waterfall, climbing higher and reaching the outermost boundaries of the flux vortex. "Good thing she's dead, then. I'd hate to give him the pleasure of shooting her."

Jake stiffened but he was inclined to agree. "Yeah. That would be something I think I'd be conflicted about seeing."

"Yeah. I would be. I'd love to hear her opening remark, but I'd hate to see what happened after that." Trudy looked down. "I keep forgetting that these things move."

"At least the one we're headed for shifted to a slightly closer position." Norm said this while watching a few of the others off in the distance moving. "This one doesn't move as fast."

"I know. That's a relief."

The entire time they had been talking, the radio had been going in and out. They were used to this, so the conversation took a little while, but it was a way to avoid the awkward silence. Jake wasn't too invested either way. He wanted the silence to think, but he didn't at the same time. Thinking about the situation made it all the more harder to understand. Looking out, he saw the mountains floating around, above , and below him. Seeing the shack not too far off, he prepared for landing, thinking about the cool darkness of his link unit. It would be good to just get out of the metal, black, grey, and yellow. He wanted to see the green of the forest, the blue of his skin and the sky, and it made Jake feel almost claustrophobic, sitting in this piece of technology. Feeling the Samson going down, he started releasing the harness that held him in the chair, and when they landed, he did the same with his wheelchair. Trudy lifted it down and then helped him off the edge into it. They had hastily replaced their exopacks, knowing that it would do no good without them.

Reaching the airlock, they waited, removing their exopacks at the appropriate time, and hanging them on the wall. Re-entering the box that they had been living in for the past two months or so, Jake saw that Norm was about to drive his avatar for awhile. He looked up as Trudy dropped her jacket onto her bunk. "Hey, how was it out there?"

"Shitty. It's a rat's nest of grunts in there." Trudy said this while downing a glass of water. Jake headed for his own link unit, having learned how to start it in the last week.

"Yeah, and what I'm doing isn't helping. From the looks of it, it was better with the Omaticaya attacking the dozers. At least that way, Quaritch didn't think they were planning some surprise attack. I think their focus on me and not the RDA is making the pencil-pushers more nervous."

"Go figure. You can't please everyone." Trudy looked at him with a knowing expression. "You're going out, aren't you?"

"Yep." Jake waited for his unit to start up, collapsing his wheelchair beside it. Lying back on the link bed, he watched as the lid closed down on top of him. Hearing the soft roar and feeling the bed moving, he closed his eyes.

"I'm coming…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2:** Sorry for the short chapter. I'll be working on chapter three soon. This one was a challenge, because I had to incorporate Hell's Gate in here somewhere. Thought I'd do it in this one. Again, thanks for the response to the pilot chapter


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